Presentation/Demonstration Forum

PRESENTATION/DEMONSTRATION FORUM

MAGIC FOR SALES PEOPLE AND PRESENTERS

Welcome to this new page at I.C.O.M!

For quite some time, I.C.O.M has known that many people will want to use a magic effect to break the ice, make a point, make something memorable or just add some fun and variety to a sales presentation, lecture/demonstration, etc.. We realize that, more than likely, you might enjoy the entire Inner Sanctum, even though your interest in actually becoming a magician has not been at the top of your priority list lately.

At the very least, you will more than justify your membership in I.C.O.M by checking out this Presentation/Demonstration Forum page because being in sales myself for many years (retail, commercial, industrial, in-home), I have a pretty good idea of what you would like to get the edge on the competition and most importantly, be REMEMBERED!

I am just giving you a taste of what is to come, but believe me when I say, your membership will be paid back many times over if you just check in and study this Forum.

The Presentation/Demonstration Forum is for salespeople, teachers, demonstrators, trainers, public speakers, bartenders, etc…..anyone who would like to use “ICE BREAKERS AND POINT MAKERS for all occasions!

The effects, tips, and ideas in the Forum will be simple, direct and powerful…NO FLUFF! I can attest to many of the items since I used them myself, and many more items have come from numerous contacts made during mylecture/demonstration career.

A picture is worth a thousand words!

There’s no business without show business!

These are “truisms” to anyone that has ever tried to get someone happily involved in their product or service. I’m going to close this brief introduction this month with one of the truest “truisms” I know…..“You don’t have to be a magician to love I.C.O.M”

“Business Card Turnover”Routine By
Bill Wisch

This is a must if you’re a salesman or anyone who gives out lots of business cards. Why just give your card to someone? Make it an experience! One of the things Bobby and I try to convey in our salesforce training seminars is that getting someone to remember you (without making a jerk out of yourself) is more than half the battle in this highly competitive environment.

There are a number of ways to give out your business card in a memorable way (check out our audio tape “ULTIMATE MAGIC RAP ™”, which includes a great method entitled “Give Them The Business”. I will be giving you more fun ways in the future editions of this forum, but this is one that both Bobby and I have used for many years. It’s simple, easy to do and QUICK!

Effect:

A blank card is taken from your pocket, wallet or card case. With a little “magic”, the card becomes printed on one side with your business information. Then the card is made to be printed on “both” sides! Finally,one side is wiped clean and the card is handed out as your business card.

Method:

Remove the card from your pocket, wallet or case making sure that the blank side shows. Handle it naturally and place it flat onto your lefthand, which is open and face up. Place it so the card is on the fingers rather than the palm.

1) This next “move” is what accomplishes the effect and is used several times in the trick, so let me describe what happens and you can practice this over and over until you get it smooth. If you were going to actually turn the card over at this point to show the other side, your thumb would come on top of the card, the hand would turnover and the fingers would move back allowing the reverse side to be seen, right? Well, here is a devastating move created by FRANCIS CARLYLE back in
the 1930’s that you will have to try to believe.

2) The left thumb tip pushes UNDER the card and the fingertips at the outeredge go OVER the top of the card. Now if you turn the hand over and at the same time continue to push the thumb until it comes directly under the fingertips on the other side, you in appearance have turned the card over but have only showed the same side twice! It takes a little practice and “feel” to get smooth but if you try it slowly at first and then build up it up to be done in a natural fashion, you’ll have one heck of an illusion.

3) The best way to practice any sleight (move) is to do the natural move (in this case actually turn the card over a number of times) to see how fast or slow you naturally do it and how the fingers and thumb work, etc., then try to duplicate the natural handling using the false handling. Be careful that you don’t “flash” any of the printed side during the turnover.

4) If you want, reverse the moves at the same pace to get the card back into the original position. It isn’t as difficult as you might think and the illusion of casually showing both sides is perfect. Otherwise, just take the card with the right hand…turn the left hand palm up again and place it back onto the left fingers to repeat the move a couple of times.

5) After showing the card blank on both sides a couple of times (don’t overdo it), take the card with the right hand and rub it against your arm,or sleeve, or whatever and turn the card over showing that now one side is printed.

6) Now rub the blank side against the same place and repeat the turnover move to show both sides being printed…simple enough? Show it printed on both sides a couple of times and then rub it on something and show that now it’s back to being printed on one side only. Now you hand it out…miracle completed.

Naturally, you can embellish this effect with whatever patter you like, especially after you become comfortable with it. I usually don’t make it into the Gettysburg Address, I just say something like, “my printer gave me these blank cards…he said I might enjoy them because they are magical (I’ve already removed the card and started my turnover sequence while talking). Watch!If I just rub the card on the sleeve the side becomes printed (show it). Now if I rub the blankside it becomes printed on both sides (use the turnover move, showing the same side each time). Now, if I rub the card on the sleeve again the side goes blank…don’t ask me! My printer wasright…these are magical cards and they may be just as magical for you as well…if you give me a call.”

Make it a habit to use this little effect as much as possible. It will give you practice and, again, be REMEMBERED, which is “real” magic, right? It’s a great way to “turnover” your business card…it has meant business for me!

EFFECT: Performer openly shuffles the deck several times end-to-end, then cuts and completes the cut. Holding the cards at one end in his left hand, he states that he will riffle through the cards until the spectator tells him to stop. This is done, and the card stopped at is removed and tabled face up.

You ask the spectator, ” Is this your card?” He will confirm that it is. You then continue…” Well, you may be surprised to know, it’s my card too!” And with that announcement, you turn the card over to reveal your business card permanently glued to the back of his selected card. The card assembly is then given as a momento of your performance.

METHOD: You will need a deck of cards, a glue stick, and two of your own business cards. Apply glue to the backs of the business cards, then stick one card each on to the backs of two indifferent playing cards. When dry, these cards are placed in second and third position from the front of the deck.

When you shuffle the cards, the halves are held by their ends between the thumbs at the inside ends and fingers at the opposing ends. The first three cards of the left hand or bottom half are allowed to fall first. This retains the position of the two gimmicked cards. When you cut and complete the cut, the two special cards are placed at the approximate center of the deck.

Since the business cards add thickness to the cards, they have been transformed into a type of key-card, or locator card, PP. 106 of the •’ Cyclopedia of Magic. “ As you riffle thru the cards from front to back with the thumb of the right hand, you’ll find that the deck will automatically break or open after the first gimmick card, revealing the face of the second gimmick assembly. The front half of the deck is tabled face up without flashing the back of the top card. The front card of the right hand half of the deck is tabled face up. It is then that you ask your curious question…” Is this your card? ”

By purchasing a deck of matching Pinochle cards, you have a ready source for extra or replacement cards from which to make new business card assemblies.

Also, if for some reason you do not hand out the card assembly ( perhaps they already have your business card ), you may replace their chosen card IN FRONT of the other gimmick in the deck and you’re ready for an instant repeat with a different person, which allows them to ‘choose’ a different card from the first individual.

TOPSY TURVEY BILLBy
Bill Wisch

Tricks with money are always in demand for “Ice Breakers & Point Makers for All Occasions”. This effect is age old but perfect for that thought or idea you wish to have “magically remembered”. All you have to do is adapt it to the task at hand.

Effect:A dollar bill is made to turn over, without actually doing so.

Procedure:The face of the bill is facing the spectator. Fold top half AWAY from you (downward) and crease. Now fold right half AWAY from you to the left and crease. Do the same thing again. Now you have a small bundle. Open the bill up carefully TOWARD yourself and then lift up horizontal flap. The bill is now upside down, without actually turning it to the right or left!

Patter example:“There is a need for lower costs in today’s world (show front of bill). In the real world we know that lower costs mean lower performance (show back of bill by flipping it over). But the boss doesn’t want to look at the other side. He wants lower costs with higher performance (turn bill over a few times) at the same time.

When you try to do this you end up turning your department upside down. Yet, there IS a way to get from lower costs to higher performance WITHOUT turning your department upside down! (Do procedure carefully and cleanly.) What it takes is a new way of doing things and that is what I’m here to discuss with you today.”

Notes:Naturally this is a sales presentation and it works quite well. I know because I used this exact method and patter many times in the field while in sales. It captures attention and is simple, quick and different. After you do it a few times it becomes second nature and you have greater facility in performance. Bartenders could easily adapt this as well as any other person who must make that normal face-to-face meeting memorable.

“Preparation”By
Bill Wisch

Happy New Year! This is the first segment of this Forum for the year and I felt it necessary to mention a few things about PREPARATION, instead of any specific trick or effect this month.

We designed this page of ICOM for anyone and everyone who was in a position of needing an “Ice Breaker or Point Maker for All Occasion”. You may be a teacher, salesperson, attorney, bartender, trainer, or any other professional that needs some pizzazz, and this Forum will be of great value to you. Following this page monthly, as well as visiting the Beginner’s page; the ICOM Library, and any and all other parts of the conservatory, will give you a tremendous amount of ideas, tips, techniques and strategies to incorporate, depending on your aptitude and motivation. But as you know, it’s not WHAT you do but HOW you do it, and PREPARATION for any effect is no exception.

Here are a few guidelines I try to follow before using an effect as an Ice Breaker or Point Maker:

1) What’s the point?
There should be a definite point to why you’re using that specific effect. If there isn’t one it could be more of a negative than a positive, and cloud up the procedure rather than be the picture worth 1,000 words. I was called by a fortune 500 company one time to help design a sales meeting. The first question I had for the Sales VP was what the one , major point of the meeting was for. I know it was an oversight but he didn’t have one! I suggested “The Magic is You” and then every piece fell into place. If you don’t know where you’re going, it’s a cinch you’re going to get there! That’s an old axiom that bears repeating. Each effect you use should have a definite point or justification or don’t use it in this context…use the effect just as entertainment if you get the opportunity.

2)Is it simple?You can check back in the archives for my article on simplicity and get the full gist of this, but for the most part I recommend you keep the effect as simple and uncomplicated as possible. Any multiple stage routine is difficult to use to drive home a major, simple point (there are exceptions, but they are rare).

3)Am I proficient?You must know ALL the handlings and ALL the patter and ALL the outs and ALL the “business” BEFORE you even think of performing the effect for anyone, especially a serious client or person you want to impress. This is just common sense. Learn any moves or sleights thoroughly before you devise the patter. This was Slydini’s method (I specifically asked him).

4)Does it fit me?Only trial and error can tell this but give it a good, sincere try before canning a nice idea or effect.
I try a number of new effects out at Caesar’s every month or so and most of the joy of performing close-up is making an effect that you don’t think you can pull off become one of you’re favorites. If you follow the formula…premise…moves…patter, then you will literally create many effects that fit YOU and adapt and adopt many others.

5)What’s my follow-up?This isn’t necessarily the point of the effect, but what you will do after making the point. Will you put the props away immediately or just let them sit? Will you hand them out for examination or not?
The point here is not to do anything after you make the “magical” point, to diminish the power and effect. Does that make sense?…think about it and I believe it will.

6)What will you say when they say “How did you do that?”?My advice is to stay on the point rather than be led off by the mystery. No matter how much they are impressed with the effect they will be mystified and will wonder how you “did it”. Don’t be taken off your purpose. Say something like, “That’s exactly the point…”, or “This is why I used this little effect, to demonstrate the_____________(hit them with the benefit or point you want to convey).
Use the effect like you would use a trained sheepdog to keep a flock of sheep controlled.

These six points just touch the tip of the iceberg, but there is enough here for you to get the idea. To put it simply…you are a surgeon and the effects are your implements. “Go ye and operate!”